Rail clamp position indicator



Sept. 16, 1958 A. TEPLlTZ RAIL CLAMP POSITION INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 21, 1957 lNVE/VTOR ALFRED TEFL/7'2, 44 x9 Mafia his Attorney.

Sept. 16, 1958 A. TEPLITZ RAIL CLAMP POSITION INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Feb. 21, 1957 W .J TU m m vm A N m .M F

United .States Patent Oflice 2,852,643 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 RAILCLAMP POSITION INDICATOR Alfred Teplitz, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor toUnited States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationFebruary 21, 1957, Serial No. 641,614 2 Claims. c1. 20o--1s3 The presentinvention relates generally to rail-clamping mechanisms and has for itsprimary object the provision of a safety signal device utilized incombination with a rail-clamping mechanism to indicate whether themechanism is in clamping engagement with a running rail.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a railclamp positionindicator which is simple and rugged in construction and not subject todamage by weather or environmental conditions and is, therefore,especially suitable for use on exposed structures such as ore bridgesand the like.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the rail clamping mechanism of an orebridge having the device of the invention installed thereon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the device of theinvention;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device of the taken on the line IIIIII ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IVIV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 2 enlargedto show detail; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described inconjunction with a rail-clamp mechanism of the type disclosed byKersting Patent No. 1,988,173.

Referring more particularly to the drawings reference numeral 2designates generally the device of the inveninvention tion installed ona clamp arm 4 of a rail-clamping mechanism 6, such as is shown in PatentNo. 1,988,173, of an ore bridge. The rail-clamping mechanism 6 is shownsomewhat diagrammatically in Figure 1, and includes a pair of opposed,generally vertical clamp arms 4 and 4' pivoted at their lower ends bymeans of spaced plates 8 and pins 10. A linkage 12 connects the upperportion of the clamp arms 4 and 4' with spring means 14 which constantlyurges the lower end of the clamp arms into clamping engagement with thehead of a running rail R. Release of the clamp arms is effected by meansof pulleys 16 and cable 18. The structure and functioning of clampingmechanism 6 is fully described in the Kersting patent referred to aboveand, therefore, will not be more fully described herein.

The device of the invention includes a U-shaped post 20 secured by oneend 22 to the lower end 24 of clamp arm 4. The post 20 includes aclamping plate 26 which is welded to the lower end 22. Post 20 isattached to the clamp arm 4 by means of set screws 28 which pass throughthe flanges of post 20 and plate 26 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Post 20extends from its attached end 22 to a point intermediate the ends of arm4 and may be tapered as shown or in the form of a standard structuralchannel.

A clamping plate 30 is secured to arm 4 adjacent to and spaced from thefree end of post 20 by means of set screws 32. A leaf spring 34 may bedisposed on plate 30 by means of angle bracket-and-bolt means 35 with aportion 36 of the spring extending over the space between the free endof post 20 and plate 30. A lever 38, which may be in the form of anangle, is connected at its upper end with the spring 34 and extendstherefrom over post 20 toward the lower end of clamp arm 4. Although Ihave shown lever 38 connected with clamp arm 4 by means of plate 30 andthe spring 34 it will be noted that other suitable pivotal connectingmeans, such as a hinge, could be used in place of spring 34 if desired.However, a leaf spring connection is preferable since this eliminatesexcessive play and lost motion in the system.

A fulcrum 40, which I have shown inthe form of an angle section restingon its end, is welded or otherwise rigidly mounted on the post 20 at itsfree end adjacent lever 38. The lever is held against the fulcrum bymeans of a bolt 42 and. helical coil spring 44. The bolt 42 extendsthrough enlarged openings in the lever and the fulcrum. The spring 44 isdisposed around the bolt with its one end bearing against the head ofthe bolt and its other end bearing against a washer 46 positionedagainst the lever, as best shown in Figure 5. The distal end of the bolt42 is anchored by means of a plate 48 disposed inside the fulcrum and apin 50. This spring loaded bolt arrangement for holding the leveragainst the fulcrum also functions to prevent excessive play and lostmotion in the system.

A limit switch 52 is mounted on the plate 26 of post 20 adjacent thelower end of the lever 38. The switch 52 is connected in an electricalcircuit with a remotely located lamp (not shown). The limit switch andlamp may be so connected that the lamp lights when the limit switch isengaged by the lower end of lever 38.

In operation, when a load is applied to spring 14, the spring exertspressure on the linkage 12 connecting the upper portions of clamp arms 4and 4. The pressure applied by spring 14 causes the upper ends of arms 4and 4' to move away from each other and the lower ends of the arms toapproach each other to clamp the head of the rail R. After the arms 4and 4' are in rail-clamping position, a slight amount of deflectionoccurs in both arms caused by the continued pressure of spring 14. Post20, which is attached by only one end to the lower portion of arm 4,does not deflect; thus there is relative movement between the free endof the post 20 and the clamp arm 4. This relative movement, which initself is too small to be useful, is amplified by the lever arrangementof the invention. The relative movement of the arm 4, to which plate 30and spring 34 are attached, and post 20 causes the upper or short armportion of lever 38 to rotate about the fulcrum 40 producing anamplified movement of the free lower end or long arm portion of lever38. The amplified motion of the lower end of lever 38 causes it toengage and actuate the limit switch 52 causing the lamp to light.Lighting of the lamp thus indicates that the clamping mechanism is setin rail-clamping position. It will be noted that the limit switch andlamp may be so connected that the lamp would be caused to light onlywhen the clamping mechanism is not in rail-clamping position, ifdesired.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a rail-clamping mechanism, the combination with an elongated clamparm adapted to engage a track rail, said arm extending substantiallyvertically and being pivoted adjacent its lower end, a post attached byone end to said arm adjacent the lower end of said arm and ex- 2,852,6433 4 tending therefrom toward the upper end of the arm, a by the upperend of said arm, and said one end of said lever pivotally attached byone end to the upper end of lever being attached to said spring. saidarm and extending therefrom over said post toward the lower end of thearm, switch means on said post References Cited in the file of this Padapted to be engaged and actuated by the lower end of 5 said lever, anda fulcrum on said post adapted to effect UNITED STATES PATENTS tiltingof said lever on deformation of said arm under 2,389,436 Kearney Nov.20, 1945 rail-clamping force. 2,412,347 Mardis Dec. 10, 1946 2. In arail-clamping mechanism the combination as 2,442,359 Hattan June 1, 1948defined by claim 1 characterized by a leaf spring carried 10 2,658,966Fischer et al Nov. 10, 1953

